3rd Congressional Candidate Long Releases Pandemic Recovery Plan

VANCOUVER, WA — Last Thursday, Carolyn Long, candidate for Congress in Washington’s 3rd Congressional District, released her Pandemic Recovery Plan alongside three community leaders who endorsed her plan. 

READ: CAROLYN LONG’S PANDEMIC RECOVERY PLAN

Carolyn Long announced at a press conference on Facebook Live her vision for Southwest Washington’s recovery from the economic and public health crises facing the county. Long’s plan outlines relief, calling for immediate expansion of unemployment insurance; and long-term relief through infrastructure investments and a prioritization of small businesses and working families. 

“With expanded unemployment benefits that expired over a month ago, tens of millions jobless, and small businesses shuttered, Congress, and Jaime Herrera Beutler, have failed to do their job and pass new relief measures to help families and small businesses,” said Long.

Long was joined by three community leaders representing local unions, health care, and small businesses. Deken Letinich, a lifelong Southwest Washingtonian and third generation member of LiUNA Local 335, endorsed the plan and sees it as an investment in working Washington families like his own.

Terri Niles, a Vancouver critical care nurse currently working at the Oregon Health and Science University Covid Task Force offered her endorsement.

“Healthcare workers need help in this fight against COVID-19. Carolyn’s plan does that,” she said. 

Chris Thobaben, a father, marine, and small-business owner, said that this plan is an important investment in working families.

Long’s full plan includes the following recommendations:

• Extend the unemployment insurance expansion
• Give schools access to the resources they need to reopen safely
• Invest in local infrastructure to employ those out of work and set the conditions in place for a robust economy
• Strengthen and prioritize the small business recovery
• Invest in job training for those out of work or employed in industries negatively affected by the pandemic
• Increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour
• Ensure affordable child care for all families and a robust child care industry, while expanding to universal Pre-K 
• Expand paid sick and family leave
• Impose a moratorium on consumer and small business debt collection – including student loan debt – for the duration of this crisis
• Ensure strong oversight of recovery funding to ensure aid goes where it’s needed most 
• Protect The Affordable Care Act and create a public option that will provide quality and affordable health coverage to any American that wants it 
• Strengthen our rural health care system, and protect rural hospitals
• Boost public health funding and responsibly manage infectious disease programs to ensure we are prepared for future threats and to stop the next pandemic before it starts

Carolyn Long is running for Congress in Southwest Washington (WA-03) for the 2020 election. She previously was the Democratic nominee for Washington’s 3rd District in 2018. She resides in Vancouver with her family and teaches at WSU-Vancouver.